The Amazing Spider-Man: Back in Quack #1 Review

Howard the Duck ushers in the most cynical comic of all time.

What an utter disappointment this one-shot was. I was eagerly anticipating reading this book for a while now, and almost immediately I was met with the harsh realization of just how bad this issue was. As a fan of both Spider-Man and Howard the Duck, I figured that this would be an easy team-up, they're both smart, loud-mouthed heroes, there's no way to screw that up? Right?

Wrong. This book is a mess. To start off, there are two artists on the main story. Yes, this one-shot book has two artists. Mark Brooks does the first half, and outside of Howard not looking like a duck, his work is actually pretty good. But Ray Height's work on the other hand, while cartoony and humorous compared to Brooks – more in keeping with the book's tone, is a jarring change halfway through the 22 page story. This change combined with all the other problems just ruined anything good that came before or after it. Also, it's a one-shot… unless Spidey and Howard go off to another dimension for example, there is no excuse for switching artists.

Then there is the story. It is so bad that I really don't even want to talk about it. I'm a Stuart Moore fan, but nearly every aspect of this book is sloppy. The dialogue comes off as desperately trying to be funny, the one-liners aren't humorous, the cultural references are lame and too of the moment to even be remembered a year from now, and to make matters worse the main plot is cynical drivel. I know the issue is supposed to feel clever as two of Marvel's wittiest characters are up against an evil group of mindwashed denizens, confused into signing up for war in order to line the pockets of the wealthy, mindlessly quoting what the media has told them. I understand the supposed social commentary here, but it is laid on thicker than I've ever seen it, and it seemed more highly politicized than any Marvel comic in recent memory. But while the message attacks the state of our society due to the unquestioning support of political groups and the media, it is done in such a way that it actually made me angry instead of chuckling along with it… which I'm 99% sure was the intent. If in fact the 1% was correct and Moore was lampooning the satire of our societal woes… then… well, then the book is still terrible.

While I wasn't a fan of the main story I was hoping the Man-Thing backup story could salvage a little of the book's already overpriced $3.99 tag. But, alas, that was not to be. The change of artists from the main story was pretty bad, but the change of tone from the main story to the backup was much worse. The book went from unfunny to morose and downright maudlin. From cartoony to realistic. From bad to… well, just as bad. The art was basic, the story was rough, the tone was overly dramatic, and the lack of purpose to it all was maddening.

Really the only redeeming factor of this book is the cover. Congrats Skottie Young, you deserve a prize.